The joint operations by Ethiopia National Defense Forces and Somalia National Army (SNA) in Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions against Somalia's enemy Al-Shabaab will continue until the terrorists are defeated, commanders and elders said on Sunday.

Speaking in Baidoa and the recently liberated town of Diinsor in Bay region, Ethiopian and Somalia National Army commanders reiterated their desire to continue the onslaught against public enemy number one Al-Shabaab and called upon locals to support ongoing efforts to rid off Somalia from the terrorists menace.

"Our joint operations with Somalia national army will continue until the enemy of Somalia is eliminate. The Somali people are urged to condemn and help to combat the extremists,” AMISOM Sector III commander Col. Yemane Gebremicheal said.

His air-force commander whose forces have hit hard Al-Shabaab destroying the terrorists strength and killed many terrorists said they will not stop their air assault until the enemy is wiped out.

"The airstrikes will continue until the elimination of the extremists. Our strikes will increase from time to time to destroy the enemy’s strength creating a crises for them diminishing their ability to regroup and plot attacks on civilians,” Col. Abene Teka, Chief of the East Airforce Base said.

ELDERS SPEAK OUT

The ground and air assault by Ethiopian forces who are part of AMISOM and their Somalia comrades at arms received a major boost on Sunday after traditional elders from the Digil and Mirifle clan voiced their support for the ongoing operations and urged their people to support the forces and ignore the propaganda messages circulated by Al-Shabaab.

"We fully support the ongoing operations against Al-Shabaab in our regions and call upon our people to work with the government and AMISOM to clear the enemy from our midst and Somalia as a whole. We are tired of the enemy’s unabated attacks on poor unarmed civilians,” Malaq Abdirashid Sheikh Abdisalan, Deputy Chairman of the Digil and Mirifle traditional elders said on Sunday in Baidoa.

Ethiopian AMISOM forces supporting Somalia National Army has so far recaptured Diinsor town in Bay region have also retaken Bardheere town of Gedo region.

The southwest Somalia National Army commander Brigadier General Ibrahim Aden Yarow thanked Ethiopian forces for helping Somalia in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

"AMISOM peacekeepers in particular Ethiopia troops are playing a significant role in their area of responsibility to destroying Al-Shabaab. The remaining task is upon us the Somalis to discharge our national duties of making sure Al-Shabaab does not resurface again. We will continue to work with AMISOM to clean up liberated areas and seize more towns still held by Al-Shabaab,” Gen. Yarow said.